The Canadian IT consultancy CGI announced the opening of its first Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence in Portugal. The new facility will focus on generative AI and agent-based technologies, with the company planning to hire 100 people annually to support digital transformation projects.

The government has introduced the National Data Center Plan (Plano Nacional de Centros de Dados or PNDC) to position Portugal as a European hub for digital infrastructure. The strategy aims to simplify complex regulations and address fragmented oversight to attract more investment. While the sector welcomes the guidelines, industry experts warn that the success of the initiative depends on effective execution.

The Portuguese aerospace and defence sectors, represented by the AED Cluster, exported 92% of their production last year and expect growth exceeding 10% in 2025. The sector, which generated 2.1 billion euros in 2024, is increasingly targeting the United States and the Middle East as strategic markets.

A new satellite production facility, the Alverca Space Hub, is being built at the Air Force (Força Aérea) installations in Alverca and is expected to be completed by mid-2024. The 1.5 million euro factory will initially produce eight radar satellites for the Atlantic Constellation (Constelação do Atlântico). The project aims to establish Portugal's capacity to build and operate satellites for both domestic and European use.\n\nUpdate: Portugal launches six satellites including first national radar equipment\n\nPortugal successfully launched six new satellites into space on Monday aboard a SpaceX rocket from California. The launch included the country's first radar satellite for Earth observation and four satellites named after famous Portuguese authors, which form the Lusíada constellation (Constelação Lusíada). These new assets will allow for real-time image capture regardless of weather conditions or light levels.

Portugal and Spain formalised a joint, equal application to build a European artificial‑intelligence 'gigafactory', pitching an estimated €8 billion of investment and planning infrastructure on both sides of the border — with the Portuguese site expected in Sines. The proposal aims to compete for EU support in a spring selection process that will choose several projects under a public‑private framework. Regional businesses, universities and local planners should monitor the bid for procurement and employment opportunities.

The Government approved a new cybersecurity regime that transposes the EU's NIS2 Directive into national law; the rules are due to take effect in April. The law imposes stronger security duties on businesses and public bodies, introduces million-euro fines for breaches and raises reputational risks for organisations that fail to comply. Companies operating in Portugal should assess NIS2-related responsibilities now and prepare governance, incident-reporting and compliance measures. Business owners and IT managers should prioritise cyber readiness ahead of the April deadline.

Público reports a joint venture in rail technology has been created with Stadler holding 51% and Critical Software 49% of the new company, which starts this month with about 100 staff and aims to reach 300 employees within three years. The venture will develop rail‑technology solutions in Portugal and could expand hiring in engineering and software roles. Tech and transport sector workers should watch for recruitment and contract opportunities in the coming months.